


School Days

by Tormented_Gale



Series: Tales of the Abyss School AU [1]
Category: Tales of the Abyss
Genre: Gen, Hint of AschXSync, Modern AU, Or rather hint of potential AschXSync, school au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2014-10-24
Packaged: 2018-02-22 09:38:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2503148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tormented_Gale/pseuds/Tormented_Gale
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sync reflects on school and allows himself to see that change might be a good thing.</p><p>Tumblr Prompt: I know it's a bit overused but I'd like to see a school AU in modern society with Sync.</p><p>Same universe as 'What's In a Friendship?'.</p>
            </blockquote>





	School Days

It’s pretty much the same each day.

He wakes up. He showers. He dresses. He brushes his teeth. He makes a simple breakfast. He leaves for school.

It’s monotonous, this pattern, but he has yet to find a way to break it without throwing his whole schedule into chaos. Even with the lack of parents, he still has a bedtime (thanks to his eldest brother), still has to get up for school, still has to make it in time for martial arts on Mondays and Wednesdays.

He has no friends, or none that he would call friends. The people he interacts with would call him an asshole, someone they’d rather spit at than be with, and he’s perfectly fine with it. He doesn’t need anyone. He’s self-sufficient.

He knows his brothers worry (the ones that actually care) but Sync is nothing if not independent, and ignores their concerns. Other people just make a mess of things: they don’t do their parts of group assignments, they goof off in class or skip altogether, they come in drunk or exhausted or high. He sees no point in associating with people like that.

But even with his determination to see aloof and above and away, he can’t help but watch out of the corner of his eye as that red-haired kid and his blond friend (Boyfriend? Sync thinks so.) laugh it up with their friends. They’re a tightly knit bunch, all touches and smiles and support, but Sync sees through it, sees to the faint jealousy of someone’s intelligence, the disappointment of a connection someone desperately wants, or the lost way that the redhead looks whenever no one sees. He’s a dreamer, that one, or at the very least can’t concentrate well.

Sync snaps his attention back to the history lesson - they’re going over the WWII again and he can almost mimic the speech of the professor by heart - and firmly berates himself for so easily looking away from his goals. There’s nothing but learning for him, books and papers and text and speeches and words, and he’s fine with that. He’s fine.

The bell rings and Sync piles up his books so he can slide them into his bag. Already the little group of friends is dispersing, no doubt heading off to be with families or each other or sneak some one on one time in the locker room. It’s the end of the school day, end of the point of it all, so Sync sees no reason to rush out.

"Luke! Get your ass moving!"

That doesn’t sound familiar. His brow furrowed, Sync raises his head, and his jaw nearly drops. He knows he’s small for a junior (especially compared to his classmates) but this boy - no, this young man looks like he should be in college. His long red hair is bundled in a low ponytail at the back of his head, and sharp green eyes pierce through a thoroughly pissed off Luke. His jaw is sharp, like a knife, and his nose is proud, practically royal.

Sync can’t stop staring. All of his thoughts of history and war go out the window, floating in some endless space that has no meaning right now. Clearly this newcomer is related to Luke - the two could be twins if their ages weren’t different - but how or who or why he’s here…

"Asch, go away! I already told mom and dad - "

"Who told me to come get you. You’re not going out tonight. They saw your math grades."

Luke goes nearly white, and the blond steadies him.

"I can come over and tutor you, if you’d like," the blond offers, and Sync doesn’t miss the hopeful yet perhaps pointed look Luke gives him.

"Yeah, that’d be really good." He turns to the taller redhead and scowls, waving his hand through the air like it’s all so incidental. "Guy’ll tutor me. I’ll get the grades up."

"You don’t want to go into your senior year with Fs and get held back - what happens if Guy graduates before you?" The sly grin on Asch’s lips makes Sync’s mimic the gesture. He’s been standing here for at least five minutes with no intention of leaving, even though he’s clearly eavesdropping.

"Shut up! Not all of us can be like  _you_!” Luke snaps, and his head turns, and Sync immediately becomes interested in packing the rest up. He doesn’t want to deal with Luke or Guy or… well, he wouldn’t mind this newcomer, not at all, but he knows next to nothing about this ‘Asch’ and more than likely the brothers are alike.

"What’re you doing?" Luke demands, and Sync lets out a sigh.

"What does it look like?" Sync responds.

"Sounds like you’re listening into stuff that isn’t your business."

"Because I happen to be in the same room?" Sync smirks, and his cool, dark eyes meet Luke’s furious ones.

"I know you were listening in!"

Luke tries to grab him, but Sync is far more competent, and he grabs Luke by his collar and slams him into the nearest wall. There’s a moment of stunned silence as Sync grins up into Luke’s face, daring him to make another move.

"So sorry I’m just standing here putting my stuff away," Sync sneers and drops Luke back to his feet. The redhead huffs and straightens his clothing, looking away while Guy fusses and glares. Good. Maybe they’ll leave him alone… like they’ve been doing all along.

"I’m surprised no one’s done that sooner to you. You act like you’re some kind of royalty," Asch groans. He rubs his face and glances at Sync. "You’re taking martial arts?"

Sync blinks, surprised that he’s been addressed, and quickly answers, “Yeah - aikido and judo.”

Asch nods like it’s what he expected and adds, “You should try out for some of the school tournaments. Principle Peony would probably freak out if he knew we had someone capable of entering from here.”

It is something Sync has never considered, but he does give it a thought here and now. He’s good enough in his classes, passes each belt test with ease - maybe tournaments wouldn’t be such a bad idea. He grins at Asch, and it holds the challenge there.

"What about you?" he asks. It’s impossible to miss the musculature on the other, who looks like he could probably bench several of Sync without breaking a sweat.

"Boxing," Asch answers, "and some judo myself."

"Really?" Sync finds actual interest lighting his voice, and when Luke cuts in between them to block Sync, he feels actual rage course through his body.

"I thought you said we had to go, Asch," Luke whines, and Asch rolls his eyes. He tugs Luke towards the door, Guy quickly following, and pauses when he reaches it to look back at Sync.

For some reason, Sync’s heart does a little tap-dance, and butterflies erupt in the pit of his stomach. He keeps his look impassive but vaguely interested, so used to just feigning complete lack of interest towards what everyone says.

"Meet tomorrow in the practice room after school," Asch says, and Sync grins.

Maybe breaking the monotony wouldn’t be such a bad idea.


End file.
